Transfer mechanism



Feb. 5, 1946.

K. E. LEHMANN 2,393,997

TRANSFER MECHANISM Filed Dec. 11, 1941 ATTORNEYS `with parts-broken away; and

Perenred Feb. s, 194s TRANSFER MECHANISM Karl F. Lehmann,v Union, N..,J., assigner to American Can Company, New York, N. Y., a corporation of New Jersey Application December 11, 1941, Serial No. 422,603

A Claims. (Cl. 198-209) The present invention relates to a container or can transfer mechanism and hasy particular reference to changing the pressure in can carrying Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view taken substantially along the line 2-2 in Fig. 1, with parts 4broken away.

pockets of rotating'transfer valves used in sealing one pressure chamber from another.I

In certain kinds of machines used in the canning industry,` rotary transfer valves having spaced can carrying pockets are used to seal chambers through which the cans are passed during their travel through the machine. One such type of machine is a heat treating machine in which empty cans are sterilized by steam prior to filling. In such a machine, the empty cans as they arebeing introduced into the sterilizing chamber sometimes are forced out of their pockets by the sudden inrush of steam as the pockets come `into communication with the chamber. Such a premature discharge of the'cans .from their pockets frequently causes jams which result in damage to the machine and to the cans.

'I'he instant invention contemplates overcoming this difficulty by providing devices for easily adjusting the pressure on the pockets of the transfer valve to different stages during the pocket movement. The nal adjustment will be about equal to the pressure of the chamber into which the pockets are communicating with so that the pressureA of a pocket can be brought substantially equal to such chamber, be it higher or lower.

An object therefore of the invention is the `provision in a rotary transfer valve having spaced can carrying pockets, of pressure adjusting dey vices wherein the pressure of the pockets moving into a. chamber is changed at will during the advancement of the pocket enroute to the chamber so that the pressures of valve and chamber will be equalized when they come into intercommunication thereby preventing any undesirable feeding results on the cans being transferred.

Another object is the provision of such devices wherein the changing of the pressure in the valve pockets may be effected progressively as the pockets travel toward the chamber.4 e

Numerous other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent as. it is better understood from the following description, which, taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, discloses a preferred embodiment thereof.

Referring to the drawing:

Figure 1 is a vertical section through a transfer mechanism embodying the instant invention,

As a preferred embodiment of the instant invention the drawing discloses a rotary transfer mechanism for a can sterilizing machine in which empty cans Aare passed from a low pressure steam chamber II into a high pressure steamv sterilizin'g chamber I2. These chambers are enclosed by an outer wall I3 and an inner partition wall Il which may constitute a valve enclosing housing of the main frame of the machine.

Passage of the cans from one chamber to the other is effected by a rotary transfer valve I 8 which is mounted on a horizontal drive shaft I1 journaled in bearings formed in the machine frame. 'Ihe shaft may be driven in any suitable manner in time with the other moving parts of the machine. Pockets I8 are formedin the valve at spaced intervals around its periphery for carrying the cans A.

The transfer valve I6 rotates in a valve yseat I9 formed in curved Wall sections 2l, 22 which surround the valve. These curved wall sections are formed integrally with the chamber walls I3, I4. Inlet and outlet openings 24, 25 inthe curved wall sections provide for inserting cans into the pockets and for discharging them therefrom. It is these openings that are sealed by the valve to prevent the high pressure steam in the chamber I2 from entering the low pressure steam chamber Il.

The cans A are inserted into the valve pockets I8 by way of an entrance turret 21 having spaced e pockets 28 vwhich pick up the cans from a run- Way 29 and propel them toward the valve pockets in timed order. The turret is mounted on a shaft 3| journaled in suitable bearings formed in the machine frame. 'I'he turret shaft is rotated in time with the transfer valve in any suitable manner.

In a similar manner, cans A delivered intothe sterilizing chamber I2 by the transfer valve I8 are picked up by a rotating discharge turret 33 having spaced pockets 3 4` for receiving the delivered cans. This turret propels the cans along a runway 35 which leadsA t0 any suitable place of deposit for the cans. The turret is mounted on a drive shaft 36 which is journaled in bearings in the machine frame and thisshaft is rotated in time with the transfer valve in any suitable manner.

Vor port 52 formed in the transfer valve.

on the curved wall section 2I is formed with a plurality of recesses 4I. There are three of these recesses shown in the drawing and each recess communicates with a port 42 which is formed in the wall section 2|. These ports lead from a channel 43 which is also formed in the wallsection and which communicates with a passageway 44 from the sterilizing chamber I2.

Thus high pressure steam from the sterilizing chamber I2 ows through the passageway 44, channel 43, and ports 42 into the recesses 4I. The amount of steam entering each recess may be controlled accurately by needle valves 45 which are formed on the inner ends of screw shanks 4Iv threaded into the wall section I3. 'I'he Shanks extend outside of the wall section and are slotted for adjustment of the needle valve by a suitable tool. L'ocknuts 48 are provided on the Shanks for locking the needle valve in position after anadjustment. y

The innery ends of the valves are located adiacent the outer ends of the ports 42 where valve seats 49 are formed i'n the wall section for cooperation with the needle valves when it is desired to completely close off a port. By setting these needle valves 46 in the proper manner so as to have each valve open a little further thanthe next in line, the steam pressure in the recesses when taken in order may be greater than `the next in line. This feature is made use of in progressively increasing the pressure in the transfer valve pockets I3 as will now be explained.' Obviously a decreasing pressure could be obtained if desired.

'I'he transfer valve I5 adjacent each can pocket I3 is formed with an auxiliary recess 5I which communicates with the outer end of a passageway This passageway leads into a cooperating passageway or port 53 which opens into a wide groove or recess 54 in the floor of the valve pocket.

Hence aseach pocket I8 of the transfer valve I6 moves progressively past the steam filled recesses 4I in the valve seat I 9 enroute to the sterilizing chamber I2, the steam in each recess flows into the communicating valve recess 5I, passageways 52, 53 and groove 54 into `the can pocket and around the can. In this way `the low pressure steam trapped in a can pocket I8 with an incoming can A as the valve rotates in its seat, is progressively built up to the pressure which exists in the high pressure steam sterilizing chamber I2. i

'Ihus when the can pocket moves into communicationwith the sterilizing chamber I2, the pressure in the pocket and the pressure in the chamber are equal and this permits of an easy transfer o f the can from the valve to the discharge turret 33. In the instant machine the valve and the turret are disposed in vertical positions and the can merely rolls out of a pocket of one into a pocket of theother. It is this equalizing of the pressures in the valve pocket and the sterilizing chamber that prevents the can from being discharged violently from the transfer valve as hereinbefore mentioned.

In a similar manner there is an equalizing of the pressures in the valve pockets when a pocket travels from the sterilizing chamber I2 toward the low pressure chamber II`. In this case a pocket I8 without a can when leaving the sterilizing chamber nevertheless is filled with high pressure steam from the chamber, and it is desired that this steam pressure be dissipated before the pocket reaches the low pressure chamber. Otherwise -the pressure in the low pressure chamber would the slot andthe channel 51 to the outside atmosphere. 'I'he escaping steam thus reduces the pressure within the pocket so that when the latter moves into communication with the low pressure chamber II to receive a new can, the pressure within the pocket is only a little less than the pressure ofthe steam in the chamber.

It is thought that the invention and many of its attendant advantages will be understood from the foregoing descriptiomand it will be apparent that various changes may be made in the form, construction and arrangement of the parts without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention or sacrificing all of its materialladva'ntages, the form hereinbefore described being merely a preferred embodiment thereof.

1. In a transfer mechanism for containers, the combination of a housing having a partition wall setting od a low pressure steam chamber and a high pressure steam chamber, a rotating transfer valve having container carrying pockets disposed between said chambers for sealing one chamber from the other and for passing containers therebetween, and curved wall sections on said housing and on said partition wall for forming a seat for said transfer valve, said housing having a channel connecting with said high pressure steam chamber and having a plurality of ports leading from said channel to a plurality of elongated recesses in said valve seat, said recesses being spaced axially from said valve pockets and extending to the periphery of said valve, the floor of each valve pocket having passageways adapted to be brought into register successively with the port recesses in the valve seat as the valve rotates to admit steam progressively from the high pressure chamber into the valve pockets to increase the pressure in the pockets prior to reaching the s chamber.

setting oil. a low pressure steam chamber and a high pressure steam chamber, a rotating transfer valve having container carrying pockets disposed between said chambers for sealing them one from the other and for passing containers therebetween, curved wall sections on said housing and ony said partition wall for forming a seat for said transfer valve, ysaid housing having a channel connecting witli said high pressure steam chamber and having a plurality of ports leading from said channel to a plurality of elongated recesses in said valve seat, said recesses being spaced axially from said valve pockets and extending to the periphery of said valve, the floor of each valve pocket having passageways adapted to be brought into register successively with the port recesses in the valve seat as the valve rotates to admit steam progressively from the high pressure chamber into the valve pockets to increase the pressure in the pockets prior to reaching the chamber, and an adjustable needle valve adjacent each port for controlling the ilow of high pressure steam into said valve pocket.

3. In a transfer mechanism for containers, the combination of ahousing having a partition wall setting oil a low pressure steam chamber and a high pressure steam chamber, and a rotating transfer valve having container carrying pockets disposed between said chambers for sealing one chamber from lthe other and for passing containers therebetween, said housing. and said partition wall having curved wall sections forming a seat for said transfer valve, said housing also having a channel leading from said high pressure steam chamber with a plurality of ports leading from said channel to a plurality of elongated recesses in said, valve seat, said recesses being spaced axially from said ,valve pockets and extending to the periphery of said valve, the floor of each valve pocket having passageways adapted to be brought into register successively with the port recesses in the valve seat as the valve rotates to increase progressively the valve pocket pressure so that such pressure will be equal to that in the high pressure chamber at the time the containers are delivered to such chamber, said partition wall also having a passageway leading from the outside atmosphere to a recess in said transfer valve seat, said last mentioned recess being adapted to register with the periphery of said valve and with the valve pockets Dassinfr from the high pressure chamber to the low pressure chamber to permit high pressure steam in a pocket to escape prior to the pocket being brought into communication with the low pressure chamber to receive a new container.

4. In a transfer mechanism for containers, the combination of a housing having a partition wall for setting off a low pressure chamber and an adjacent high pressure chamber, a rotary transfer valve having container carrying pockets disposed between said chambers for sealing one chamber from the other and for passing containers therebetween, said valve having spaced recesses respectively disposed adjacent the valve pockets, said housing having spaced recesses for communication with said recesses oi' the valve, said housing having a channel leading from a said pressure chamber and a plurality of ports leading from said channel to said housing recesses, said valve the valve rotates to progressively change the pressure within a said valve pocket to substantially that of a said chamber prior to the pocket being y brought into communication with the chamber, and a plurality of adjustable needle valves in said channel for varying the pressure progressively admitted to said valve pockets.

5. In a transfer mechanism for containers, the combination of a housing having a partition wall setting off a low pressure steam chamber and a high pressure steam chamber, a rotating transfer valve having container carrying pockets disposed between said chambers for sealing one chamber from the other and for passing containers therebetween, curved wall sections on said housing and on said partition wall constituting a seat for said valve, said valve having spaced recesses respectively disposed adjacent the valve pockets, said valve seat having an opening therein and a plurality of spaced recesses for communication with the recesses of said valve, said housing also having a channel leading from a said pressure chamber and a plurality of ports leading from the channel to said valve seat recesses, said valve having a port therein adjacent each pocket for communication with and adapted to be brought into successive registry with said housing ports as the valve rotates t0 progressively change the pressure within a said valve pocket to substantially that of a said chamber prior to the pocket being brought into communication with the chamber, and a plurality of adjustable' needle valves in said channel for varying the pressure progressively admitted to said valve pockets, said valve seat having an opening therein and said housing having a passageway leading from the outside atmosphere communicating with said valve seat opening and thence to the valve pockets passing from the high pressure chamber to the low pressure chamber to permit high pressure steam trapped in a said pocket to escape, thereby substantially equalizing the pressures in said pocket and low pressure chamber prior to the pocket being placed in communication with said low pressure chamber.

KARL Il'. LEHMANN. 

